Members of the Drug and Organised Crime Division, Illicit Drug Laboratory Team, travelled to Alice Springs this morning to assist with an investigation Alice Springs Police were conducting into an alleged illicit drug laboratory.

Detective Superintendent Tony Fuller said Police executed a search warrant at a residence in Gillen and an active illicit drug laboratory was located.

“A male and a female were arrested at the residence and are currently assisting Police with enquires.

“At this time Police and Emergency Services remain at the scene processing the site. All illicit drug laboratories have the potential to explode or cause severe chemical hazards to the Police and public. This scene is effectively a chemical hazard and is being treated as such by Emergency Services.

“The premises have been secured so that Police and Emergency services can remove any hazards from the area. The threat currently is restricted to the premises and no evacuations are necessary.

“The method being used by the alleged offenders is known as the ‘shake and bake’ method and if not appropriately dealt with an explosion can and have occurred in the past.”

This is the third active Illicit Drug Laboratory discovered in Alice Springs in recent months.

“Backyard chemists who use these methods often don’t fully appreciate the threat they pose to themselves, the public or Emergency Services. Their goal is purely to produce these products for their own use or for profit, they have no concerns what so ever about the danger they put their neighbours in or for that matter members of their own family or friends,” Detective Superintendent Fuller said.